Physical exercise is a daily activity for many members of today's society. Certain types of exercise provide benefits but may also endanger the health of the person performing the exercise. For example, running or jogging on an asphalt surface may have consequences on the long term health of the runner's knees. Also, the use of free weights may be problematic in that they may fall onto the user during a lift thus harming the user and ultimately requiring the use of a spotter during the work out. Aquatic exercise overcomes problems associated with other forms of exercise in that hard, forceful impact of the user's feet are eliminated thus reducing strain imparted onto the user's joints brought about when running on a hard surface. Further, the resistance to motion in aquatic exercise is generated by water resistance or viscosity and thus eliminates the possibility of being hurt or injured through the use of free weights. In addition to maintaining the physical health of the individual, aquatic exercise may be used when rehabilitating from an injury or enhancing movement with respect to certain conditions such as arthritis.
Aquatic exercise takes advantage of a person's natural buoyancy in a body of water. In this regard, elderly or injured individuals may have a portion of their body weight supported by the water allowing the individual to exercise without having to support his or her entire body weight thus making exercise possible. An aquatic exercise device may be used by the individual to further increase the buoyancy of the individual and to provide resistance to movement in the water thus increasing the effectiveness of the exercise. One such device is a shoe that is strapped onto the foot of the user. The user may walk, jog or run while immersed within the water to obtain superior exercise results when compared to conventional walking, jogging or running. Although capable of being strapped onto the foot of the user and allowing for running type exercises, this aquatic exercise device cannot be used if not on the foot of the user and is shaped in such a way that the surface around which water is directed is not uniform thus causing the user to be pushed in a particular direction upon use.
A different type of aquatic exercise device includes a clamping mechanism that allows the device to be secured to a calf of the user. The device includes upper and lower inflatable chambers that can be filled with air to afford the user with a desired degree of buoyancy. This device is not capable of being attached to the foot or hands of the user and is not readily removable in case of an emergency is limited in the amount and variety of exercises one can perform. Current aquatic exercise devices are not capable of being used with a wide range of exercises and are not structured in a safe or user friendly manner. As such, there remains room for variation and improvement within the art.
Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the invention.